200 booked in Maha village for bid to hold 're-poll' using ballot papers

Police registered a case against more than 200 persons from Markadwadi village and nearby areas in Maharashtra's Solapur for allegedly trying to conduct a 're-election' using ballot papers on Tuesday in an unauthorised manner, officials said.

They were also charged for allegedly spreading misinformation about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the police said.

Authorities said the move by a group of residents of Markadwadi was illegal as there was no provision for conducting a re-poll using ballot papers under any circumstances.

Meanwhile, state Congress chief Nana Patole hailed the residents of Markadwadi for their courage, and said they took the first step in the fight for protecting democracy.

The group of villagers had insisted on a re-election with ballot papers while casting doubts on the votes counted through EVMs for a polling booth at Markadwadi in the recently-held state polls.

However, they relented and gave up their plan after police's intervention.

The village comes under the Malshiras assembly constituency, where Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar candidate Uttam Jankar defeated Bharatiya Janata Party's Ram Satpute by 13,147 votes in the November 20 state polls, the results of which were declared on November 23.

Though Jankar won the seat, Markadwadi residents claimed the quantum of votes polled by the NCP-SP leader was less compared with Satpute, expressing doubt about the EVMs.

A section of villagers had approached the district administration seeking a permission to conduct the re-poll on the ballot paper but the permission was rejected.

Talking to PTI, Solapur district collector Kumar Ashirvad said an offence was lodged on behalf of the government under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, 2023 Sections 353 (1) (b), 189(1), 189(2), 190, 223 and under Section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act.

The case was registered at the Natepute police station on Tuesday evening.

As per the FIR, the accused allegedly spread rumours about the alleged misuse of EVMs through digital flex boards and social media, falsely claiming the need for a re-poll even as there was no provision for such an action.

They are also accused of violating the orders of the Solapur district collector and Malshiras sub-divisional magistrate in Akluj by announcing an 'unauthorised re-poll using ballot papers' in Markadwadi.

This act allegedly created fear among the public and instigated feelings of animosity.

After the authorities denied permission to the villagers to conduct a re-poll, the determined group of villagers decided to conduct the polls on ballot on Tuesday morning, prompting the magistrate to impose prohibitory orders from December 2 to 5 in the area to avoid any conflict or law and order situation due to the 'repoll' plan of locals, an official earlier said.

Police were deployed in large numbers as a group as the villagers made arrangements for the 're-poll' with the use of ballot papers.

Jankar, who was also present in the village and was at the forefront, cast doubts over the votes counted through EVM.

As the arrangements were made to conduct the polls at the polling station in the village at 8 am Tuesday, police force warned the villagers that even if one vote was cast, an offence would be registered.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Malshiras division) Narayan Shirgavkar held a meeting with Jankar and other residents.

"We explained to them procedures in the law and also warned that even if one vote is cast, cases will be registered," Shirgavkar said.

Jankar said a meeting was held with police officials, followed by talks with the villagers. After that, they cancelled the re-poll plan.

District collector Ashirvad said the entire process of conducting polls through EVMs is very transparent as before the polls, mock-polls are conducted in the presence of the representatives of political parties.

"During the commissioning of the EVMS, the representatives of the political parties are given an opportunity to choose the EVMs of their choice and ask them to cast their votes. On the day of polls, before the actual polls, once again a mock is conducted and representatives of the candidates are given an opportunity to do the nock-poll. After the polling, the machines are sealed in front of the representatives," he said.

After the polls, the EVMs are sent to the strong rooms having three layer security and here also, political parties are given access to the CCTV footage of the strong rooms, he said.

He added that on the counting day, the strongrooms are opened in the presence of representatives of the candidates and in their presence, the EVMS are brought to the counting tables.

Meanwhile, in a post X, Congress leader Patole said, 'There is a growing suspicion among the people of the state that the assembly elections were not conducted transparently. To address their doubts, the residents of Markadwadi in Solapur had planned to conduct voting through ballot papers today. However, the administration imposed prohibitory orders and used police force to prevent the villagers from proceeding with the voting.'

'The administration's actions in Markadwadi resemble those in the British era, raising questions about the credibility of EVMs and the impartiality of the election process. If there is no malpractice in voting, why is the administration afraid of allowing a small village to conduct voting using ballot papers Is it because they fear being exposed?' he asked.

This struggle will likely escalate into a larger movement in the coming days, culminating in a victory for democracy, he said.